Mud-pump valve



June 11 1929. E. E. MILLER .8

MUD PUMP VALVE Filed Oct. 16, 1925 2 men of.

I u v n/ZM (Zen I V I W Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

anwm a umina, or summon, carnro mra a Application filed 0mm- 16, 1925. semi no. ea'zso.

This invention relates to. improvements" in valves for mud pumps and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide' a valve of improved construction wherein there is a metallic valve and a metallic valve seat with a resilient sealing ring mounted on at least one of these parts, so that when the valve and 'valve seat are in engagement, there will be a metal to metal contact as well as resilient material to metal contact between In mud pumps and similar constructions a dirt fluid containing sand, grit and other oreign substances is pumped under a high pressure, and because of the high pressure the sand tends to cut away the valves and valve seats. By the improved construction the metal to metal contact affords a firm rigid seat, and the resilient material to metal contact provides a seal preventing any escape of fluid between the valve and valve seat. It will be readily understood that a small amount of leakage between the valve and the valve seat of the sand and grit carrying fluid under the high pressure would quickly cut away these parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve for mud pumps and the like, in which there is a valve and valve seat with a resilient sealin ring mounted on one of these parts, and to provide means whereby this sealing ring may be expanded or urged toward the other part by the fluid pressure developed within the mud pump.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will bemade manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims,

- reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved valve, the major portion ofwhich is broken. away and shown in vertical.

section,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the valve shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a bottom shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the resilient sealing'ring,

Fig. 5 is a diametrical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form of construction.

plan view of the valve se'at' 1O which may vent onal construction, and which. has a beveled seating surface 11, which may be dethe valve and valve seat."

clined to the axis of metal contact with the seat.

on the valve seat.

Referring to the aecom wherein similar reference characters designatei similar parts throughout, the improved valve consists of an annular valve be of. somewhat conscribed as being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the val e seat 10. A valve is provided as indicated at'12 having a valve stein 13 shown as provided withjgrooves 14, as 1s required in certain types of constructions receivable in the conventional valve guide. Inthe baseof the valve stemvan annular recess 15.,is formed constituting a spring seat for the coilspring 16 which urges the valve 12 into seating position. The valve 12 has a seating surface 17 complementary to the seating surface 11 and which may also be described as being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the valve 12. A groove 18 is formed approximately at the center of the seating surface 17 and is preferably arranged to have straight sides which are substantially perpendicular to the seating surface 11 and which are inthe valve. I

lVithin the groove 18 there is' disposed a sealing ring 19 formed of resilientmaterial, such as rubber or a compositioncontaining rubber. The sealing .ring. l9 ;is a closed ring as shown in Fig. 4, an d., at its top there 'is formed a gro0ve20. Aperpanying drawings tures 21 are formed in the valve. and communicate with the groove 18 and with the groove 20 in the sealing ring. Suitable valve guides 22 may be formed integral with the valve and depend therefrom within the valve seat 10, fitting against itsinterior surface and serving to keep the valve properly centered with respect to the valve seat. By the improved construction it will be noted that there will be a metal to metal contact between the seating surfaces 17 and 11 on both sides of the resilient sealing ring 19, which establishes a resilient material to The function ofv the apertures 21 is to admit fluid pressure developed within the pump to the in-, terior of the groove 18 and to the interior of the sealing ring when the valve is seated This fluid pressure urges the sealing ring toward the valve seat 10, thus forming a seal, preventing anyescape of fluid between the valve and the seat which 7 might occur if there were only a metal to metal contact between the valve and the seat. Furthermore, this fluid (pressure expands the resilient flanges forme by the groove 20, preventing any escape of fluid over or around the sealing ring 19 within the groove 18.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that an im )roved mud pump valve is provided wherein the leakage is effectively prevented when the valve is seated. A sealing ring 19 is positioned within the groove 18 by s ippin it over the valve guides 22 and then stretc ing 1t, permitting it to enter the groove 18 and then slightly contract to its normal posltlon on fitting into the groove 18. By this construction it will be readily appreciated that when the valve is lifted or disengaged from its seat, the sealing rin will not drop out of the groove 18. F urt ermore when the valve is lifted, the fluid pressures both above and below the sealing ring will be equalized,.so that there will be no resultant pressure tending to urge the sealing ring 19 out of the groove 18 when the valve is off its seat.

In the construction shown in Fig. 6, the construction of the valve and the seat is iden-. tical with that shown in Fig. 1, except the valve guides 22 are omitted. In certain types of pumps there is no considerable lateral pressure on the valve, and the beveled seating surface 11 tends to center the Valve on the valve seat, thus permitting the guides to be omitted.

It will be noted that a characteristic feature of my invention is that there is no sliding fit of the valve seat and the contacting surface of the valve in an axial direction, in other words when these elements bear together the motion of the valve is stopped and when pressure is brought on the valve that there is a direct metal contact between the inside and outside part of the valve in contact with the seat and also of the packing against the seat. The surface of the seat and the contacting surface of the valve form an annulus and it is to be understood that the relative positions of the contacting surface of the seat and the valve structure may be changed to suit different requirements. The packing through the medium of the apertures 21 leading to the groove in the sealing ring is caused to expand tightly against the valve seat. My invention distinguishes from structures of the cylinder and piston type in which a piston ora valve has a sliding motion in a cylinder with packing on the piston and in which cases possibly the metal enclosing the packing may form a contact with the cylinder, but in such types there is a sliding motion in an axial direction between the contacting surface of the cylinder and the packing of the piston or valve.

' '1 w ill, beunderstood that various changes may be made in the detail of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. a

I claim:

1. A poppet valve for mud pumps and the like comprising an annular seat, a valve adapted to seat thereon, there being a groove formed upon the seating surface of one of the mentioned parts, a ring of resilient material i-mbedded in said groove whereby when the valve and seat are in engagement, there will be a resilient material to metal contact between them and a metal to metal contact between the valve and seat on both sides of said ring, andmeans for conveying fluid pressure to the back of said ring so as to urge it into seating position when the valve is seated.

2. A poppet valve for mud pumps and the like comprising an annular valve seat, a valve adapted to seat thereon, a ring formed of resilient material mounted upon the valve, said ring being so arranged that when the valve and seat are in engagement, there will be a resilient material to metal contact between them and a metal to metal contact between the valve and seat on both sides of said ring, there being ports formed in the valve for conveying fluid pressure behind the ring to urge it against said seat when the valve is in seated position.

3. A poppet valve for mud pumps and the like comprising an annular valve seat having a beveledseating surface which is inclined downwardly toward the center of the seat, a closure having a seating surface complementary to the seating surface of the seat, there being an annular groove formed on the closure and arranged at approximately the center of its seating surface, said groove having its sides inclined to the axis of the valve, a ring of resilient material fitting in the groove, there being apertures formed in the closure constituting ports for conveying fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring whereby when the closure is seated the ring will engage the seat and the body of the closure will engage the seat on the inside and outside of said ring and fluid pressure in the groove behind the ring will force the ring towards the seat.

4. A poppet valve for mud pumps and the like comprising an annular valve seat having a beveled seating surface which is inclined downwardly toward the center of the seat, a closure having a seating surface complementary to the seating surface of the seat, there being an annular groove formed on the closure and arranged at approximately the center of itsseating'surface, said groove having its sides inclined to the axis of the valve, a ring of resilient material fitting in the groove, there being apertures formed in the closure constituting ports for conveyi may be applied.

' being so formed that it 1,71e,aee

ing fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring'whereby when the closure is seated the ring will engage the seat and the body of the closure will engage the seat on theinside and outside of said ring and fluid pressure in the groove behind the ring will force the ring towards the seat, there being;a roove on the back of said ring definin anges which are ada ted to be expande against the sides of the mentioned groove by the fluid pressure.

5. An insert for valve closures comprising a ring of pliable material, said ring being rectangular in cross section and having most of its sides other than parallel or at right angles to the axis through the ring, said ring having a groove upon its back defining spaced flanges between which fluid pressure 6. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular valve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat. there being a groove formed in the seating surface of one of the mentioned parts, a ring of resilient material disposed in the groove wherebythere ,will be resilient material to'metal contact between the closure and seat and metal to metal contact between the closure and seat on the inside and the outside of said ring, said ring and groove being so formed that it is necessary to deform the ring diametrically in application so that after having been applied the ring cannot be easily removed, and means other than the mere compression of the ring for urging the ring into engagement with its seating surface when the valve is closed.

7. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular valve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat, there being agroove formed in the seat ing surface of one of the mentioned parts, a ring of resilient material disposed in the groove whereby there will be resilient material to metal contact between the closure and seat and metal to metal contact between the closure and seat on the inside and the outside of said ring, said ring and groove is necessary to deform the ring diametrically in application so that after having been applied the ring cannot be easily removed, and means for admitting fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring for urging the ring into engagement with its seating surface when the valve is closed. g

8. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular valve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat, there bein a groove formed in the seating surface 0 one of the mentioned vparts, a ring of resilient material disposed in the groove whereby there will be resilient material to metal contact between the closure and seat and metal to metal contact between the expanded against the sides of closure and seat on the inside and the outside of said ring, said ring and groove being so formed thatit is necessary to deform the ring diametrically in application so that after havng been applied the ring cannot be easily removed, and means for admitting fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring for urging the ring into engagement with its seating surface when the valve is closed, sald ring having flexible flanges at its back adapted to be expanded against the sides of the groove.

9. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular valve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat, there being a groove formed in the seating surface on the closure, a resilient ring disposed in said groove whereby there will be a resilient material to metallcontact between the closure and seat andmetal to metal contact between the closure and seat on the inside and outside of the ring, the sides of the ring and groove being inclined to the vertical whereby it is necessary on application of the ring to deform it diametrically, and

means other than the compression of the ring for urging the seating surface of the ring toward the seat when'the valve is in closed position.

10. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular va ve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat, there being a groove formed in the seating surface on the closure, posed in said groove whereby there will be a resilient material to metal contact between the closure and seat and metal to metal contact between the closure and seat on the inside and outside of the ring, the sides of the ring and groove being inclined to the vertical whereby it is necessary on application of the ring to deform it diametrically, and means foradmitting fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring so as to urge the ring into engagement with the seat when the valve is in closed position.

11. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular valve seat, a valve closure having a seating surface adapted to engage the seat, there being a groove formed in the seating surface on the closure, a resilient ring disposed in said groove whereby there will be a resilient material to metal contact between the closure and seat and metal to metal contact between the closure and seat on the inside and outside of the ring, the sides of the ring and groove being inclined to the vertical whereby it is necessary on'application of the rin to deform it diametrically, and means or admitting fluid pressure to the groove behind the ring so as to urge the a resilient ring disthe valve is in closed position,

said ring having flexible flanges at its back adapted to be the groove.

pressure behind the ring to urgeit against said seat when the valve is in seated position, said ring being self-sustaining upon the valve even against small inequalities in pressure tending to force the ring out of the groove when the valve is in unseated position.

13. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular scat having a beveled seating surface, a closure presenting a complementary seating surface, there being a-groove formed in the closure, the sides'of which are approximately perpendicular to the beveled surface on the seat, a resilient insert in the groove, there being at least one passage in the body for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the insert in the groove.

14. A mud pump poppet valve comprising an annular seat having a beveled seating surface, a closure fpresenting a complementary seating sur ace, there being a groove formed in the closure,;the sides of which are approximately perpendicular to the beveled surface on the seat, a resilient insert in the groove, there being at least one passage in the body for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the inscrt in the groove, there being a groove formed in the back of the insert, the sides of which are approximately parallel and inclined to the axis of the valve defining spaced flanges adapted to be expanded against the 'sides of the groove in the closure by the fluid pressure.

15. A mud pump poppet valve having a closure in which is formed a groove, a resilient insert fitting between and engaging the sides of the groove, said closure having at least one passage for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the insert, the sides of closure in which is formed a roove, a resilient insert fitting between an engaging the sides of the groove, said closure having at least one passage for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the insert, the sides of the groove being so formed as to restrict movement of the insert therein under the influence of fluid pressure toa direction which is other than parallel to the axis of the valve.

17. An insert for mud pump valves comprising a resilient ring, the sides of which are other than parallel or at right-angles to the axis through the ring, there being a groove formed on the back of said ring. 18.- An insert for mud pump valves comprising a resilient ring, the sides of which are approximately parallel to each other and are other than parallel or at right-angles to the axis through the ring, there being a groove formed on the back of said ring.

19. A mud pump poppet valve having a closure in which is formed an annular groove the sides of which are approximately parallel to each other and inclined other than at a right angle to the axis of the closure, a

resilient insert fitting between the walls of the groove, there being passages formed in the closure for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the insert in the groove.

20. A mud pump poppet valve having a closure in which is formed an annular groove thesides of which are approximately parallel to each other and inclined other than at a right angle to the axis of the closure, a resilient insert fitting between the walls of the groove, there being passages formed in the closure for conveying fluid pressure to the back of the insert in the groove, the back of the insert having an annular groove formed therein. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERWIN E. MILLER. 

